COLORADO

I.246.1

COLORADO, a state of the American Union. It was organized as a territory, Feb. 28, 1861, about two-thirds of it being taken from Utah and Kansas territories, and the remainder from Nebraska and New Mexico. An enabling act was passed March 21, 1864, and a state constitution formed under it was rejected by popular vote. In September, 1865, a second constitution was ratified by popular vote. Under it two acts for the admission of Colorado as a state, May 15, 1866, and Jan. 29, 1867, were vetoed by president Johnson. March 3, 1875, another enabling act was passed, and a state constitution formed under it was ratified by popular vote, July 1, 1876. Aug. 1, 1876, as directed in the enabling act, the president, by proclamation, announced the admission of Colorado to the Union. Its boundaries were as follows: "Beginning at the intersection of longitude 25° west from Washington and latitude 37° north; thence north to latitude 41° north; thence west to longitude 32° west from Washington; thence south to latitude 37° north; and thence east to the place of beginning."

I.246.2

—The governor was to hold office for two years, and the capital was fixed at Denver. Provision was made that electors in 1876 should be chosen by the legislature, and, as this body proved to be republican, the vote of Colorado really decided in advance the presidential election of 1876. (See DISPUTED ELECTIONS, IV.) The state has since been republican in politics.

The cuneiform inscription in the Liberty Fund logo is the earliest-known written appearance of the word "freedom" (amagi), or "liberty." It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash.